Go-Ahead Ireland AHL 1 Round Up

Kilmacud Crokes secured their seventh victory of the season as they defeated Naomh Barróg by 2-23 to 2-15 in their Go-Ahead Ireland Dublin Adult Hurling League Division 1 clash at Páirc Barróg on Sunday morning. 

In doing so, they maintained their two-point lead at the top of the table from a Lucan Sarsfields side that continue their push for league honours as they narrowly got the better of St Vincent’s by 2-19 to 0-22 at the 12th Lock. 

The contest was delicately poised from the outset with the visitors gaining just reward for their early enterprise through points from Brian Bolger and Tom Connolly while Lucan remained in touch through the scoring returns of Donie Flannery, Sean Harkness and Ben Coffey. 

Trailing by the bare minimum towards the end of the first-half, the hosts turned the tide in their favour through goals from Coffey and Harkness, leaving them 2-9 to 0-12 ahead by the interval. 

The contest resumed in a similarly even manner as Vinnies, through the impressive efforts of Bolger, restored parity with ten minutes remaining. 

However, Lucan regained their composure in the closing stages with points from Cathal Kennedy, Flannery and Harkness helping keep their title ambitions alive by the final whistle.

Meanwhile, on Thursday night, Ballyboden St Enda’s A eased their relegation concerns as they proved too strong for near neighbours Faughs, prevailing by 4-25 to 0-11 at Tymon Park. 

Fergal Ryan was a solid presence for the visitors at full-back and with Jack Lambert contributing three points from wing-back, Boden eased to victory thanks to twelve points by Timmy Hammersley and 1-6 from Davy Gleeson. 

There was another away win at Russell Park on Saturday afternoon as St Jude’s overcame the horrific conditions to edge St Brigid’s by 1-18 to 0-20. 

Paul Winters opened the scoring for the hosts but St Jude’s more than held their own initially through the free-taking of Conor Nolan and a Callum Graham point to lead by 0-11 to 0-9 at the break. 

Both Nolan and Winters continued to dominate the scoring with the latter scoring 0-14 over the hour including three points from play while Nolan contributed 0-11 to the St Jude’s cause. 

With St Brigid’s leading by two points in the closing stages, Ciaran Mangan executed a superb block and from the resultant counter-attack, Cathal Martin found Diarmuid McLoughlin, who fired a superb shot from 20 metres beyond Alan Nolan for the game defining score. 

Bottom side Ballyboden St Enda’s B team look destined for a return to AHL2 as they suffered their eighth reverse of the campaign when losing to Cuala by 3-23 to 1-13.  

Go-Ahead Ireland AHL1: Faughs 0-11 Ballyboden St Enda’s A 4-25; Lucan Sarsfields 2-19 St Vincent’s 0-22; Naomh Barróg 1-15 Kilmacud Crokes 1-23; St Brigid’s 0-20 St Jude’s 1-18; Ballyboden St Enda’s B 1-13 Cuala 3-23.